January 2009: The Delhi Sustainable Development Summit will take place from 4-7 February 2009, in New Delhi, India, and will focus on the theme “Towards Copenhagen: An Equitable and Ethical Approach.” The meeting will seek to find equitable and ethical approaches to arrive at a global consensus on climate change beyond 2012 and will gather heads of state and government, ministers and dignitaries from around the world.

December 2008: The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) has published a discussion paper entitled: “Global Carbon Markets: Are There Opportunities for Sub-Saharan Africa?” The paper investigates the constraints that prevent Sub-Saharan countries from fully participating in global carbon markets and suggests policies for better integration.

We can be certain about one thing related to the future. The pressure on water resources will continue to increase. This is a fundamental challenge as water resources, unlike fossil fuels, are an irreplaceable natural resource for human survival. In light of climate change, and dwindling fossil fuel resources, the quest to find alternative sustainable energy sources will escalate. Eventually we will succeed, no doubt, but on the way the fundamental role of water will become even more evident, also in relation to energy security. And it is not only about hydropower – water is fundamental for cooling purposes, to grow bioenergy crops, and for storing and transporting energy.

December 2008: The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), one of the 16 international research centers of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, has published a report entitled “The Impact of Climate Change and Adaptation on Food Production in Low-Income Countries: Evidence from the Nile Basin, Ethiopia.”

6 December 2008: The second Forest Day event was held in Poznań, Poland, to facilitate discussions on the potential to incorporate forests into climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies at the global and national levels. Taking place in parallel with the 14th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 14) to the UNFCCC, Forest Day 2 was co-hosted by the Centre for International Forest Research (CIFOR), the Government of Poland and the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), a partnership of 14 forest-related international organizations, chaired by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

4 December 2008: The International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, attended by 92 countries, expressed its “deep concern that the international community is now challenged by the severe impact on development of multiple, interrelated global crises and challenges,” highlighting increased food insecurity, volatile energy and commodity prices, climate change and a global financial crisis.

December 2008: The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), published a policy brief entitled “Water Implications of Biofuel Crops: Understanding Tradeoffs and Identifying Options.” The Brief outlines impacts of biofuel production on water supply and food production, and seeks to provide options for policy makers in addressing resulting tradeoffs.

29 November 2008: At the opening of the International Conference on Financing for Development to Review Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, taking place in Doha, Qatar, from 29 November-2 December 2008, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for “bold and effective efforts” to ensure that “today's emergency does not become tomorrow's human crisis.”